Thursday, June 11, 2015

Stirling - For far too long, a truly progressive vision for America's role in the world has been missing from serious foreign policy debates. The Middle East is on fire, a fragile diplomatic effort to disabuse Iran of its nuclear ambitions is under attack, Russia and China are attempting to push the boundaries of their influence, and threats without borders, like disease and climate change, continue to advance. These challenges all require America to think innovatively about our leadership in the world. And I believe that begins with exercising smarter power and influence by leaning into the world with something other than the pointed edge of the sword. For the better part of the last year, I've met and spoken with colleagues in the Senate, leaders in the diplomacy and defense communities, activists and academics, and of course supporters like you who have shared their ideas. The result is a set of eight principles to guide a new vision for America's power that I'm excited to share with you today. Visit my revamped foreign policy focused website -- ChanceForPeace.org -- and add your name in support of my "Principles for a Forward-Looking Foreign Policy."Here are the eight principles in full: 1. Military spending shouldn't be 10 times our foreign aid budget. We need a new Marshall Plan for at risk regions. 2. America is strongest when it works through international organizations and broad multilateral coalitions. 3. When military action is needed, we need clear goals, clear exit strategies, and congressional approval - always. 4. Military action is not worthwhile without a realistic political strategy to clean up the mess once the fighting ends. 5. It's time to reign in the massive covert operations and intelligence apparatus that has emerged since 9-11. Mass surveillance and drone strikes, unchecked, steal moral authority from America. 6. We need to practice what we preach on international human rights. No more secret detention centers. A categorical rejection of torture. 7. Strength at home matters. We can't talk about economic empowerment overseas if millions of Americans still live in poverty. 8. Climate change is a national security threat. Combating this threat should be interwoven into every aspect of American foreign policy. If you agree, I hope that you'll add your name in support of this effort. You can do that here: http://chanceforpeace.revolutionmessaging.net/#principlesYou'll see that you can apply these principles to many of the foreign policy issues before Congress today: A potential Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) against the Islamic State, our work with the P5+1 countries on diplomacy with Iran, and the defense spending bill we're considering this week. I view the launch of these principles as the latest step in a critical campaign to reassert the voice of progressives in today's foreign policy debates. But the effort will only enjoy success if we act together. That's why adding your name today is so important. All the best, Chris Murphy U.S. Senator, Connecticut